The Key

“The key test for any acronym is to ask whether it helps or hurts communication.” (Elon Musk)

Acronyms are words which are formed from the first letters of other words or syllables, and are pronounced as full words.  They can also be spoken as individual letters, or as both letters and words. Abbreviations differ in that they are typically shortened form of words used to represent the whole word. Abbreviations are merely a series of letters while acronyms form new words.

Each one allows someone to make large blocks of text easier to read. Beware that both abbreviations and acronyms are typically considered informal, and should be carefully considered before including them in more formal writings. Below are examples of many well-known acronyms (and how they can be used in a sentence):

·       AARP - American Association of Retired Persons
I forgot my AARP card.

·       AIDS - Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome
He tested positive for AIDS.

·       ASAP - As Soon As Possible
We have to get to the hospital ASAP.

·       AWOL - Absent Without Official Leave (or Absent Without Leave)
I don’t know where he went. He’s totally AWOL.

·       BAE - Before Anyone Else
He’s my new BAE.

·       DARE - Drug Abuse Resistance Education
The whole school is doing the DARE program.

·       FEMA - Federal Emergency Management Agency
After the hurricane, FEMA helped the survivors rebuild.

·       FOMO - Fear Of Missing Out
I’m only going with you because I have a major case of FOMO.

·       GIF - Graphics Interchange Format
She sent me a GIF of a dancing cat.

·       HIPAA - Health Insurance Portability Accountability Act
I can’t give you that information because of HIPAA.

·       HUD - Department of Housing and Urban Development
You’ll have to go to the HUD office to get help finding affordable housing.

·       IMAX - Image Maximum
We saw MI:6 in the local IMAX theatre.

·       JPEG - Joint Photographic Experts Group
You have to attach that photo as a JPEG.

·       KISS - Keep It Simple Stupid
You don’t have to reinvent the wheel, KISS.

·       LASER - Light Amplification by the Stimulated Emission of Radiation
Our cat loves to chase a little red LASER beam.

·       LOL - Laugh Out Loud
You’re so funny, LOL.

·       MACUSA - Magical Congress of the United States of America
In the Fantastic Beasts movie, she was a member of MACUSA.

·       NAFTA - North American Free Trade Agreement
NAFTA requires the U.S. to follow this rule.

·       NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration
We watched the NASA engineer explain how a launch works.

·       NATO - The North Atlantic Treaty Organization
Let’s hope NATO always remains intact.

·       OSHA - Occupational Safety and Health Administration
Everyone make sure you wear your helmets today, we’ve got an OSHA inspection.

·       PHAT - Pretty hot and tempting
That girl was PHAT.

·       PIN - Personal Identification Number
You’ll need your PIN to use your bank card at the ATM.

·       POTUS - President of the United States
The POTUS will be taking Air Force One to the meeting.

·       RADAR - Radio Detection and Ranging
The police officer used RADAR to catch them speeding.

·       RAM - Random Access Memory
How much RAM does your computer have?

·       SCUBA - Self-Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus
We gathered our SCUBA gear and dove into the Atlantic.

·       SEAL - Sea Air Land (U.S. Navy)
The SEAL team is taking this mission.

·       SNAP - Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program
Anyone who qualifies for SNAP benefits qualifies for this program.

·       SWAT - Special Weapons and Tactics
The Los Angeles Police Department dispatched their SWAT team.

·       TASER - Thomas A. Swift’s Electric Rifle
She hit the attacker with her TASER.

·       UNICEF - The United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund
UNICEF appointed a new chairman of the board.

·       WASP - White Anglo-Saxon Protestant
Many citizens in the Colonial Era were WASPs.

·       YOLO - You Only Live Once
You better go on that trip. YOLO.

“FEAR has two meanings: ‘Forget Everything and Run’ or ‘Face Everything and Rise.’ The choice is yours.” (Zig Ziglar) [i]

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·       [i] Adapted from: “Acronym” by Cambridge Dictionary

·       “Acronym” from Wikipedia

·       “Examples of Acronyms” by Michelle Meleen

·       “What Is the Difference between an Abbreviation and an Acronym?” by Beth Parent